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10.0
67032
10.0 |
A.V. Club
Heal might have saved its songwriter’s life in the creation process, and better yet, it sounds like it did
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9.1
67030
9.1 |
Consequence Of Sound
HEAL is a rock record, unabashed in its influences and unbridled in its execution
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9.0
67328
9.0 |
musicOMH
That an album that sounds this vibrant and thrilling came out of such dark circumstance is a testament to the songwriting skills of Showalter. Pain never sounded so good
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8.5
67489
8.5 |
The Quietus
HEAL sounds as gorgeous as a vulnerable folk rock record, but as defiant and powerful as arena rock
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8.3
68027
8.3 |
Pretty Much Amazing
Purists be warned; everyone else, enjoy the show
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8.0
67479
8.0 |
Earbuddy
Showalter’s strengths as a songwriter are on full display and the tunes are peppered with perfect, personal details and meaningful lyrics
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8.0
67318
8.0 |
Mojo
Folk blues specialist unleashes his inner rock beast. Print edition only
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8.0
67319
8.0 |
Uncut
Unashamedly ambitious, rating the communicative power of familiar rock/pop (Young, Springsteen) over experimentation
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8.0
67031
8.0 |
The Irish Times
It isn’t all guitar lines – tracks such as Shut In, Woke up to the Light and Plymouth soften the blows. Inspirational
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8.0
67034
8.0 |
Independent on Sunday
It is – with electronica assaults and even J Mascis on lead guitar at one point – a veritable squall of sound
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8.0
67036
8.0 |
Q
Seventies power-pop and '80s AOR re-assembled by Philadelphia singer-songwriter. Print edition only
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7.9
67033
7.9 |
Pitchfork
There’s a rawness to HEAL, a damaged quality to the music, as though Showalter—who played almost all of the instruments—recorded everything in the old Goshen basement with his first rickety keyboards
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7.0
67065
7.0 |
PopMatters
The kind of heartbreaking album that never feels heartbreaking, that has a resiliency that keeps it from brooding
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7.0
67114
7.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Strand of Oaks’ particular synthesis of modern sounds with retro feels is as entertaining as it is uplifting. Just don’t expect it to stir you like the Boss can
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7.0
67029
7.0 |
All Music
Showalter draws from the same pool of familiar sounds as fellow neo-classic rock/overshare pop artists like The War on Drugs, Phosphorescent, The Low Anthem, and My Morning Jacket
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6.2
67529
6.2 |
Paste Magazine
HEAL ultimately sounds like a transitional album, and as such reveals both unexpected strengths and weaknesses
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5.0
67229
5.0 |
Loud And Quiet
It might be best if Strand of Oaks made friends with the acoustic guitar again. Maybe it wasn’t so dull after all
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